Method of making paper-covered folding box blanks



May 1, 1956 R. N. WARE, JR., ET AL 2,744,046

METHOD OF MAKING PAPER-COVERED FOLDING BOX BLANKS May l, 1955 R. N. WARE, JR., ET Al. 2,744,046

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United States Patent Office 2,744,046 Patented May 1, 1'956 METHOD F MAKING PAPER-COVERED v FOLDING BOX BLANKS Richard N. Ware, Jr., and Moss B. Christian, Tallulah, La., assignors to Chicago Mill and Lumber Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation vof Delaware Application May s, 1953, serial No. 353,827

9 Claims. (Cl. 154-113) This invention relatesA to the production `of paper-covered box blanks or shooks and includes novel apparatus More specifically, this invention relates to method and' apparatus for making paper-covered wood veneer assemblies having separated wood veneer sections joined by paper covers to produce a blank for wrapping around end pieces to form the bottom, sides, and' top lids of a carton or box.

In accordance with this invention, green or undried wood veneer with a moisture content of 30 per cent or more and having the cellsk thereof in Wet swollen condition is cut to size to provide panel sections for the bottom, sides and top lids of a box. The cut veneer pieces are stacked in compartments. of a bin with the grain of the pieces extending in a front to rear direction. in the bin. The partition walls of the bin compartments separate the adjoining stacks of veneer pieces in side-by-side relation to provide gaps or spaces therebetween. The veneer pieces are positioned to feed out of the Abottom front edge of the bin and are moved forwardly by chain driven lugs into a. glue spreader. The lugs advance successive spaced rows of side-by-side veneer pieces to the glue spreader. After passing through` the glue spreader the glue-coated faces of the veneer pieces are covered by sheets of tough, unsized kraft paper which is preferably coated with wax and a mold preventative. The paper-coveredv wood assembly is then. fed, through press rollers. A bondbetween thejPaPer and wood' is created which holds the Wood against shrinkage when it is subsequently dried. The dried wood in the finished panels will have a moisture content of from 6 to 12 per cent but the bond to the paper will hold the wood in its swollen wet wood condition. The wood cells will be in an open network form. Anautomaticclipper cuts the paper between the rowsto separate the successive rows of paper-covered Wood veneer pieces into blanks. The cut oif blanks or shooks are then stackedv and, fed to a dryer to further set the glue and dry. the assembly. The resulting finished shooks are secured around wood end pieces to form the finished box.

A feature of the invention resides inthe continuous production.. of theY wrap-around paper-covered veneer blanks and the simultaneous gluing of an entire Set of veneerpieces to form a blank.

Another feature of the invention resides in the automatic spacing of the Veneer pieces in the wrap-around blank by means of the partition walls of a bin from whichthe veneer pieces are fed.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the utilization of lugs to simultaneously drive a row of veneer pieces in side-by-side relation and to space successive rows of such veneer pieces.

A still further feature of the invention residesv inthe automatic severing of the successive rows of paper-coveredfveneer pieces to produce lthe blanks or shooks.

An important object of this invention isto provide a process-for; automatically spacing and feeding Wood veneer pieces to form wrap-around paper-covered shooks.

Another important object of this invention is 4to .provide a method of feeding veneer pieces from stacks to form rows Aofjspaced pieces for deliveryto a glue spreader.

Another object of this invention is to provideapparatus for the continuous production of paper-covered veneer shooks.

A .still further object of the inventiony is to provide a continuous method for the production` of paper-covered veneer shooks.

Other and further objects' of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed' description of the annexed sheets of drawings which, by way of a preferred example only, illustrateA one embodiment of the invention.

0n the drawings:

Figure, l is a -somewhat diagrammatic side elevational viewof a portion of the apparatus for forming the `papercovered'veneer shooks according to this invention.

Figure 2v is a view similar to Figure 1 and illustrating theremaining portion of the apparatus.

Figure 3' is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional' view of a paper-covered blank or shook according to this invention.

Figure` 4is an isometric View of a boxy made from the folding blank or shook of this invention.

Figure` 5`is afragmentary front elevational' view with partsV in vertical cross-section and'with parts broken away tov show underlying parts of the feeder bin of vthe apparatus of' this invention.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal view, with parts in cross-section, ofthe bin and chain drive therefor taken along the` lines VI-VI of Figure 5.

Figure7 is atop plan'view of the feeder bin.

Figure 8 is' a plan view of a' folding. blank. or shook according to this invention.

Figure' 9is'an isometric view of the blank or shook of 'Figure 8 showing the manner in which it is folded' into position to form the box shown in Figure 4.

As shown on the drawings:

The apparatus 10 is shown in separated parts in Figures 1 and 2 but it will' beV understood thatv Figure 2 is a continuation of Figure l and the, apparatus therein illustrated' is aligned to the right ofV Figure 1.

The apparatus 10 includes the feeder bin 11', the chain `drive--assernbly 12, the glue spreader 13, the top and bottorn paper feeders 14 and 15, the press roll section v16, the pulling roll section 17, the automatic clipperv 18I and the tipple 19.

The bin11 as shown in Figures 1, 5, 6 and 7, includes an upright; rectangular box 20 with end Walls 20a andlZb, a frontwall 20c and a rear wall 20d. Partition walls 21, 22, 23 and 24para11el to the end walls 20a and 20b extend between'the front'and rear walls 20c and 20d to divide the bin into individualiside-by-side compartments each of a size'for snugly receiving the cut-to-size veneer piece. Thus,- end'compartments 25 and 26 are provided to receive astack of veneer pieces A and B to form the lid sections ofA the 'shook or folding panel. Compartments 27 and 28 arey providedA adjacent the compartments 25 and 26- respectively to receive a stack of veneer pieces C and D to form the sidewalls of the folding blank or shook. A central compartment 29 is providedto receive a stack of veneer pieces Eto form the bottom of the folding blank or shook. The bin also has a bottom wall 20e underlying each compartment; The bottom wall 20e is longitudinally slotted'in'the-central portion of each compartment and the bottomsofthe front and rear Walls 29e and 29d of the bin are similarly slotted to provide a series of slots 30 eachVA extending through the bottom of compartments of the bin.` As best shown in Figures 1 and 7, a platform 31 is provided in front of the front wall 20c of the bin. This platform 31 has a bottom 31a slotted at 32 to meet with and extend the slots 30 to the front end of the platform adjacent the glue spreader 13. Side wall ribs 33, 34, 35 and 36 extend upwardly from the bottom 31a in alignment with the partition walls 21, 22, 23 and 24 respectively. End walls 31b and 31C are respectively aligned with the end walls 20a and 2011 of the bin. As shown in Figure ,1, these ribs and end walls extend upwardly from the bottom of the platform for a suflicient distance to provide side guide rails for the veneer pieces.

Looped feeder chains 37 are mounted on pairs of sprockets 38 and 39 respectively carried by cross shafts 40 and 41 to underlie each slot 30 and 32 in the bin and platform. The cross shaft 46 is driven by a chain and sprocket drive 42 as shown in Figure 5, for rotating all of the chains simultaneously.

Each chain carries a plurality of lugs or dogs 43 projecting outwardly therefrom to extend through the slots 30 and 32 for engaging the rear end edge of the bottommost veneer piece in each compartment. These lugs are aligned on the respective chains so that one set of lugs willsimultaneously engage each bottom veneer piece in each compartment. As shown in Figure 6, the lug 43 is just high enough to project through the slot 30 and engage the rear edge of the bottom veneer piece A in the compartment without engaging the next adjacent veneer piece. As the chain 37 drives the lug forward, the veneer piece is moved through an open gap 20c' at the bottom end of the front wall 20c. The veneer pieces then move over the bottom 31a of the platform while guided by the side walls and end walls. They are advanced simultaneously in side-by-side relation to receiving guides 44 on the intake side of the glue spreader 13.

The feeder assembly 12, therefore, advances a row of five veneer pieces in side-by-side relation to the glue spreader and successive rows of such veneer pieces are advanced in spaced relation depending upon the spacing of the lugs 43 on the chain 37.

The glue spreader 13 includes inlet and outlet guides 44 and 45 which enter the inlet and outlet sides of the nip between the applicator rolls 46 and 47. Thus, the exit guide 45 receives the veneer pieces before they leave the inlet guide 44 and the side-by-side relationship of the pieces in each row is thereby maintained. The bottom spreader roll 46 receives glue such as soya bean glue from a trough 48 in which is rotates and the top roll 47 likewise receives the same type of glue from a trough 49. Both rolls are thus coated with the glue and the top and bottom faces of the veneer pieces are simultaneously coated by the rolls.

As the blue coated veneer pieces emerge from the glue spreader as shown in Figure l, they are immediately covered by top and bottom sheets of paper 50 and 51 respectively, fed by the paper applicator sections 14 and 15 of the machine.

The paper sheet 50 is fed from a roll R. The paper sheet 51 is fed from a roll R1. Both sheets of paper are passed through tensioning rollers 52 and over applicator rollers 53 which supply an aqueous solution of wax and a mold preventative to the paper sheets. The sheets may be expanded somewhat by the application of moisture thereto and the sheet 50 then passes downwardly around a feed roll 54 while the sheet 51 passes upwardly around a feed roll 55. The feed rolls 54 and 55 apply the paper sheets 50 and 51 to the top and bottom faces respectively of the glue-coated row of veneer pieces. The papercov ered assembly is then advanced through a series of press rolls 56, 57, 58, 59 and 60 which firmly press and smooth the paper sheets on to the rows of Wood pieces. An initial bond between the paper and wet wood is formed to hold the wood against subsequent shrinkage.

After passage through the press roll section 16 of the machine and after emerging from the last press roll assembly 60, the rows of paper-covered veneer pieces advance in a continuous succession through a series of pulling rolls 61, 62 and 63 arranged in top and bottom pairs. These rolls pull the continuous sheet and wood assembly W through the press roll section 16. The assembly W then passes through an automatic clipper which includes a trip member 64 riding on the top sheet 50 and adapted to drop by gravity into the gaps G between successive rows of veneer as a gap passes thereunder. When the trip 64 drops an electric circuit is energized to control a cuter knife 65 of a clipper assembly 66 whereupon the leading row of panels in their paper covers will be cut off to form a shook S. The tipple 19 conveys successive shooks S to a stack. The stack is then dried in a drying tunnel or the like dryer.

As shown in Figure 3 and also in Figure 8, the shook or folding box blank S has a top paper cover 50, a bottom paper cover 51, glue bonds 67 uniting the paper covers to the veneer pieces A, B, C, D, and E. A gap 68 is provided between the adjacent veneer pieces and the paper sheets 50 and 51 only extend across this gap. The gap provides a bending space so that the adjacent veneer pieces can be folded to form the box 70 shown in Figure 4. As therein shown, the shook S is wrapped around wooden end pieces 71 to form the bottom, the sides and the top lid portions of the box. The sections of the shook can be attached to the end pieces 71 in any suitable manner as by nails, glue or the like.

As shown in Figure 9 the shook S is conveniently folded at the gaps 68 which will allow the adjacent veneer pieces to assume right angle positions without cutting the paper.

From the above description it will, therefore, be understood that this invention provides a paper-covered wood shook or folding box blank wherein the paper covers form hinges between the wood pieces. The shook or folding box blank is formed in a continuous process by advancing rows of parallel spaced wood veneer pieces simultaneously through a glue spreader and by applying top and bottom paper sheets to the veneer pieces in each row.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be etected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. The method of making folding box blanks composed of wood veneer pieces covered by paper sheets which form hinges between the wood veneer pieces which comprise, stacking pieces of wood veneer in side-by-side adjoining relation, advancing the bottommost pieces in each stack as a row of spaced parallel pieces with the grain of the wood in each piece extending transversely of the row, adhesive coating the top and bottom faces of each piece in the advancing row, covering the coated faces with paper, pressing the paper onto the coated faces, and severing the paper adjacent the trailing end of the wood veneer pieces to provide the blank.

2. The method of making paper-covered folding box blanks which comprises, forming stacks of wood veneer pieces in spaced side-by-side relation, successively advancing the wood veneer pieces in rows from the bottom of each stack with the grain of the veneer extending substantially parallel to the direction of advancing movement, simultaneously adhesive coating the top and bottom faces of all of the veneer pieces in each successive row, covering the coastcd faces of the veneer pieces in each row with tough, unsized kraft paper, pressing the paper tightly against the rows of wood veneer pieces as the paper and veneer pieces continue to advance, sever- 'ing the paper between successive rows of veneer pieces, and drying the resulting cut off panels to set the adhesive and form the folding box blanks with the paper sheets extending across the spaces between the veneer pieces to form bending hinges.

3. Th? mlhod of making paper-covered wood veneer shooks which comprises, stacking in side-by-side relation a plurality of cut-to-size wood veneer pieces to form a row oftransversely aligned stacks with the veneer grain in each stack extending substantially longitudinally, spacing the stacks apart to provide gaps between adjoining 'veneer pieces, simultaneously longitudinally advancing the bottommost veneer 'pieces from each stack to form successive rows of transversely aligned and spaced wood veneer pieces, glue-coating both faces of the veneer pieces in each successive row, covering the glue-coated faces of the veneer pieces in each row with paper, pressing the paper and veneer pieces together, severing the leading row of paper-covered veneer pieces from the trailing rows of paper assemblies to provide a blank, and setting the glue in the blank whereby the blank will be composed of paper-covered wood veneer pieces separated by gaps between the pieces. 1

4. The process of making paper-covered wood veneer shooks which comprises, forming a central stack of wood veener pieces cut to provide the bottom section of a shook, forming adjacent each side of said central stack, adjoining stacks of wood veneer pieces cut to form the side walls v of a shook, forming adjacent the outer ends of the side wall containing stacks of veneer additional stacks of veneer cut to form lids for the shook, spacing the wood veneer pieces in each stack to provide gaps therebetween,

ksuccessively advancing the bottom veneer piece in each stack to provide advancing successive rows of transversely aligned and spaced veneer pieces with each row containing a bottom forming piece, two side wall forming pieces, and two lid forming pieces, simultaneously glue coating theveneer pieces in each successive row, covering the glue-coated veneer pieces with paper, pressing the paper and veneer together, and successively severing the paper between adjacent rows to provide blanks each containing a row of spaced veneer pieces hinged together by the paper sheets extending across the spaces therebetween, and setting the glue to firmly bond the paper and wood.

5. The process of forming paper-covered wood veneer shooks which comprises, forming successive rows of transversely spaced wood veneer pieces with each row containing a suiiicient number of veneer pieces to form the Vwalls of a shook, gluing paper covers to each row of the 'wood veneer pieces, advancing the paper-covered rows to press the paper against the wood, cutting off the leading row of wood veneer pieces from the advancing papercovered assemblies and setting the glue in each cut oif panel thus formed.

6. The method of forming a wrap-around folding box blank which comprises, gluing paper covers on successive rows of wood veneer pieces with each row containing cutto-size pieces for forming the walls of the wrap-around blank and with each piece being separated from an adjoining piece a suicient distance to form a bending hinge paper portion, cutting o the leading row of wood veneer pieces from the covered rows, and setting the glue to provide the blank.

7. The method forming libre sheet covered wood veneer pieces for wrap-around folding box blanks or shooks which comprises, forminga row of wood veneer pieces having the grain of thevwood extending substantially transverselyl of the row and having the adjoining pieces in the row spaced apart a suicient distance to provide a bending area, and gluing papercovers on to the row of veneer pieces-to provide a panel having the veneer pieces joined only by the paper extending across the spaces between the pleces.

8. The method of forming wrap-around box blanks or shooks which comprises, forming a row of unshrunk wet wood veneer pieces in side-by-side spaced relation, the pieces in each row having the grain thereof extending substantially vtransversely of the row and being separated from adjacent pieces to provide bending gaps therebetween, adhesively uniting paper covers to the veneer pieces in the Vrow for forming a panel with the veener pieces hinged together at the spaces therebetween by the paper covers, and drying the assembly to reduce the moisture content of the wood to about 6 to 12 per cent while the paper covers hold the wood in its swollen, unshrunken wet wood condition.

9. The method of making paper-covered wood veneer shooks which comprises, forming a row of transversely spaced wood veneer pieces having the grain extending substantially transversely of the row and having the spaces between the pieces in the row suicient to form folding areas accommodating movement of the veneer pieces into right angle relation, unrolling paper sheets over the top and bottom faces of the veneer pieces in the row, adhesively uniting the sheets with the veener pieces, pressing the sheets against the veneer pieces, and setting the adhesive to form a wrap-around blank having the veneer pieces hinged together by the paper covers and having the paper covers extending over the entire faces of the veneer pieces.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,022,367 Ianpole Apr. 2, 1912 1,427,971 Porter Sept. 5, 1922 1,915,690 Nichols June 27, 1933 2,075,795 Babcock Apr. 6, 1937 2,095,389 Kondolf Oct. 12, 1937 2,166,038 Chambon July 11, 1939 2,250,533 Hanson July 29, 1941 2,372,617 Trew Mar. 27, 1945 2,425,660 Ware et al. Aug. l2, 1947 2,442,115 Byers et al. May 25, 1948 2,521,554 Ware et al Sept. 5, 1950 2,635,512 Harker Apr. 21, 1953 2,719,808

Elmendorf Oct. 4, 1955 

1. THE METHOD OF MAKING FOLDING BOX BLANKS COMPOSED OF WOOD VENEER PIECES COVERED BY PAPER SHEETS WHICH FORM HINGES BETWEEN THE WOOD VENEER PIECES WHICH COMPRISE, STACKING PIECES OF WOOD VENEER IN SIDE-BY-SIDE ADJOINING RELATION, ADVANCING THE BOTTOMMOST PIECES IN EACH STACK AS A ROW OF SPACED PARALLEL PIECES WITH THE GRAIN OF THE WOOD IN EACH PIECE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE ROW, ADHESIVE COATING THE TOP AND BOTTOM FACES OF EACH PIECE IN THE ADVANCING ROW, COVERING THE COATED FACES WITH PAPER, PRESSING THE PAPER ONTO THE COATED FACES, AND SEVERING THE PAPER ADJACENT THE TRAILING END OF THE WOOD VENEER PIECES TO PROVIDE THE BLANK. 